Akademeia High School - School Prospectus 2019

Let’s start your educational adventure

Our Mission

07

Academic Potential Assessment

13

Academic Programmes

19

A Level Exams Results 2018

26

Our Faculty

31

Departments

39

Personal Development

49

Mentoring

51

Akademeia Co-curricular Activities

63

Akademeia Co-curricular Courses

67

Our Building

69

Facilities

71

Prizes and Awards

75

Admissions

81

Akademeia Educational Group

85

Contact

93

Akademeia High School

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The best teaching involves instilling in others a passion for learning. The faculty at our school is unique in bringing together the alumni of top universities across the world and experts in their fields. Their dedication and experience help our students achieve academic excellence. Teaching through dialogue and inspiring each student to achieve their full potential are our guiding principles.

Dr Karolina Watras

DEPUTY HEAD HEAD OF HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT HEAD OF CREATIVE & PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT History of Art, University of Cambridge and Courtauld Institute of Art, London

Our Mission

let’s start your journey

Akademeia High School In the ancient world, education resulted from the meeting of great minds and the sharing of ideas that became great through dialogue.

Akademeia High School is a key milestone on the educational path of our students because we know that education is a journey, a partnership, and not a manufacturing process. Like the pedagogues of old, we accompany each student as they explore the realms of knowledge, stretching their abilities to the utmost.

With critical thinking at the heart of our curricula, our students are equipped to plumb the depths of the modern information age. By readying a new generation to create solutions to problems yet unknown, we train our students to be fearless in conquering whatever uncharted territories they may encounter in life.

This bold educational vision is made reality by our teachers and mentors, who work tirelessly with our students in helping them realise their intellectual and creative ambitions.

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Studying Physics is a journey through space, time, and curiosity, that same contagious curiosity that pervades children when they admire the marvels of the world where we live. Studying Physics is in fact rediscovering that genuine spirit of enquiry that comes naturally to children. In other words, taking this journey means staying young forever.

Dr Giovanni Peralta PHYSICS SENIOR TEACHER

MSc Physics, University of Cagliari PhD Physics, King’s College London

All our teachers are masters in their fields, with a wealth of qualifications from the world’s most prestigious universities. This intellectual bedrock is the foundation of our success in propelling students to those very same high-ranking universities.

Our students also benefit from the vast range of work-and life experience garnered by our faculty through their years of working in the private sector.

Our students therefore begin their studies with an accelerated maturity thanks to their time at Akademeia: we believe that a good university experience starts in school, which is why Akademeia looks, feels, and operates like a university.

Join us as we travel onwards towards a bright future.

Let’s start your journey.

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The crucial role of the Social Sciences is to try to understand and describe the world around us.

It is a world full of interdependent institutions and of rapid change, both global and local.

When analysing the most burning questions of contemporary affairs, such as the future of the European Union, an interdisciplinary approach combining history, politics, economics, and sociology is crucial.

Young people are able to grasp different points of view, making their outlook on the world a complex and interesting one. We prepare our students to become active members of society as well as responsible citizens of Europe and the world.

Katarzyna Borzym

HEAD OF SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT BA Finance and Accounting, Warsaw School of Economics MA Economics, Warsaw School of Economics MA Psychology and MA Philosophy, University of Warsaw PhD candidate in Economics, Warsaw School of Economics

Academic Potential Assessment

recognising talent

recruitment process

A student’s first experience of Akademeia is through our Academic Potential Assessment, which is part of our recruitment process. This process was created with the aim of uncovering the academic knowledge and talents held by each individual student. Through the assessment process, we can better understand how these talents may be developed, enriched, and employed in propelling students along the educational pathway to which they are most suited.

Our detailed, analytical entrance process was designed by us, based on our personal knowledge of and experience within the Oxbridge interview system, as well as A Level requirements and other assessment methods.

All assessment meetings are conducted exclusively by our own teachers.

We assess not only each student’s current knowledge, but also evaluate their potential across the spectrum of academic, business, and artistic fields. This enables us to see each student in three dimensions, educationally speaking.

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The modern world is visual: from advertising to social media, the urban environment to our clothes - information, identities, and power relations are all unendingly communicated through the image.

Our moral codes and values are entangled with the aesthetic - goodness and beauty, evil and grotesqueness. Art History at Akademeia High School charts the history of these visual traditions whilst also fostering the skills necessary to dissect and understand our engagement with them.

Dr Tom Young

HISTORY OF ART & HISTORY TEACHER

MA (Hons.), University of Cambridge MPhil, University of Cambridge PhD, University of Cambridge

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At Akademeia High School we believe that Maths is a crucial part of the contemporary world; hence, it is compulsory to study the subject during the first years here. We want our students to study Maths courses that fit their individual academic needs. Our alumni have a well-developed intuition, which enables them to understand Maths on the level they find useful in further education and work.

I like them to be able freely to estimate, compare, and use mathematical tools in modelling concepts in the natural or social sciences. Last but not least, I encourage the students who enjoy pure Maths to continue with the subject, because there is no doubt they do enjoy it while at our school.

Krzysztof Sikora

HEAD OF MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT MA Mathematics, University of Warsaw

Academic Programmes

knowledge

Academic Development through the British Education System: iGCSEs and A Levels

Our programme allows for individually tailored academic pathways, which students can follow as they discover and develop their academic interests and strengths.

The pre-university model that shapes our curricula encourages the development of independent learning, building up towards A Level qualifications in Years 12 and 13. A Levels were created by universities and for universities. They allow a free choice of subjects and depth of study that gives a solid preparation for higher education, certifying students’ interests and their ability to pursue academic studies. A Levels also constitute a unique opportunity to lay an extensive and in-depth interdisciplinary foundation for university study.

The flexibility of choice at A Level is wonderfully liberating for students in academic terms but also a serious responsibility. A Level subjects must be well chosen, and students need to be prepared for them in order to maximise their learning possibilities. For this reason, we have carefully crafted our programmes for Years 10 and 11, combining Akademeia Assessed Courses with subjects that fulfil iGCSE specifications. All students follow Core Subjects that incorporate iGCSE standards but go beyond them to prepare them for A Level.

British qualifications are recognised around the world for the integrity of their academic rigour. Akademeia High School is an accredited examination centre for the AQA and Pearson Edexcel exam boards, and for Cambridge International. All our students sit their major public exams, as set by these boards, within our school premises.

iGCSEs

A Levels

In the first two years, all students study a selective number of iGCSE subjects to give them two years of thorough preparation ahead of the demands of A Levels. At iGCSE level, the study of English Language and Mathematics is mandatory for all students.

All students at Akademeia High School work towards A Level exams, giving them the opportunity to build their own academic profile à la carte from the wide variety of subjects on offer. A student may choose to combine Physics and Chemistry with Photography and French. This unique approach, which is tailored to the students’ greatest strengths, allows them to develop a number of valuable skills, such as critical thinking, effective communication, problem solving, and dreaming in three dimensions.

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FOUNDATION YEAR

YEAR 9 / Foundation Year* in cooperation with our partner school covering the Polish core curriculum Language preparation Polish Grade 8 Curriculum Completion

YEAR

9

Language Preparation Academic Skills Analytical & Critical Thinking Skills Akademeia Co-curricular Courses

Language Preparation

YEAR

10

Academic Skills Broad Akademeia Core Curriculum

iGCSE 1

iGCSE Programme Akademeia Co-curricular Courses & Activities

Academic Pathway is chosen Language Preparation

YEAR

11

Academic Skills

iGCSE 2

Broad Akademeia Core Curriculum & Academic Pathway Subjects iGCSE Programme

Pre-A Level

Akademeia Co-curricular Courses & Activities

Choice of three to four A Level Subjects

YEAR

12

Three to four A Level Subjects Akademeia Co-curricular Courses & Activities

A Level

University Course Choices

Choice of fields of study and universities

YEAR

13

Three to four A Level Subjects Preparation for university admissions Akademeia Co-curricular Courses & Activities Preparation for University Admissions

A Level

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A Level

We offer the following subjects at A Level Fine Art

Creative & Performing Arts

3D Design Music Photography Drama English Literature History

Humanities

History of Art Philosophy Religious Studies French German

Languages

Italian Polish Russian Spanish

Mathematics

Further Mathematics Mathematics Biology

Natural Sciences

Chemistry Physics Economics

Social Sciences

Politics Psychology Sociology

The following subjects run only if there is a sufficient number of students wishing to take them: Media Studies, Classical Studies

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A Level Exams Results 2018 Our first cohort of pupils will take their full (two-year) A Levels in 2019. However, a number of pupils have already taken papers in modular subjects. These were in Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Further Maths, History, Maths, and Physics.

Out of the 117 exam papers in total, an outstanding 92 papers (or 79%) were graded A*/A. The average score was 87%. 23 papers achieved 100%.

A* AND A GRADES

A*/A AND B GRADES

79%

93% EXAM PAPERS

117 SCHOOL AVERAGE ACROSS ALL EXAMS

87%

ECONOMICS

AVERAGE SCORE

EXAM PAPERS MARKED 100%

90%

20%

HISTORY

EXAM PAPERS MARKED ABOVE 90%

54%

EXAM PAPERS

AVERAGE SCORE

117

88% MATHEMATICS

AVERAGE SCORE

83%

To put this into context, an overall score of 79% A*/A is eminently comparable with the results of Eton College, probably the most famous school in the world, which achieved a score of 79.5% A*/A last year.

Each year, The Independent Schools Council releases the statistics for all of its member schools in the UK. These are compiled into League Tables, which get published in both The Daily Telegraph and The Times. Notably, this year’s Akademeia High School results would have placed 15th out of the top 300 schools in the UK. 26 27

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The main focus of the 3D Design course is learning by doing. It is practical and project based, introducing the wide scope of design - including craft, product, and space - with modules led by recognized practitioners from the fields of design and architecture.

Gosia Rygalik 3D DESIGN TEACHER

MA Design Department, Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts Danmarks Designskole, Copenhagen

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Of all subjects, the study of English Literature is amongst the most intellectually and culturally enriching. Students undertaking courses at both pre-A and A Level will be equipped to analyse a wide range of texts in order to understand their significance, encompassing fields of linguistic, philosophical, and historical enquiry. Seeking to understand the crafting of the great literary works in the Western canon helps students hone their own communication skills to an expert level.

Bella Szala

ENGLISH LITERATURE SENIOR TEACHER MA (Hons.) Art History and English Literature, University of St Andrews MPhil History of Art, University of Cambridge

Our Faculty

specialists

teachers

At Akademeia High School, we know that people are the most vital resource we have, be they students or staff. Having teachers who are passionate about their fields of study is essential to everything that we do.

Our faculty consists of alumni of the world’s leading universities, including the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, American Ivy League schools, and top Polish institutions. Our teachers hold masters’ degrees and PhDs, are involved in current research, and have many years of teaching experience. They are experts in their respective fields, who are able to instil a thirst for knowledge in our students.

37% 41%

of our teachers are PhD holders and PhD candidates

of our teachers are graduates of top UK universities, including the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, the University of St Andrews, Imperial College London, University College London (UCL), the London School of Economics (LSE), the University of Warwick, and Durham University

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Mark J. Moore EXECUTIVE HEADMASTER MA English Literature, University of Cambridge

A graduate of the University of Cambridge where he studied English Literature, Mark has thirty-three years of experience in the best schools in the UK private sector, including Marlborough, Eton, Radley, where he was both Head of English and Director of University Entrance, and Clifton College, where he was Head of College for eleven years.

Mark first came to Warsaw as part of a team to interview Polish scholarship candidates for places at Britain’s top schools. What he saw in the students convinced him that Warsaw would benefit from a university-style school based on the best British educational models for its many gifted and talented pupils. Mark is thrilled to be heading up the team ensuring that Akademeia High School fulfils this role.

Dr Karolina Watras DEPUTY HEAD MA History of Art, Courtauld Institute of Art, London; MPhil History of Art, University of Cambridge; PhD History of Art, University of Cambridge

A United World Colleges Scholar at Cheltenham Ladies’ College and a graduate of two Cambridge colleges (Christ’s and Jesus), as well as the Courtauld Institute of Art, London, Dr Watras has lectured at both the Department of the History of Art and the Institute of Continuing Education at the University of Cambridge, where she was also acting Director of Studies in History of Art at Jesus and Trinity Colleges. Her research focuses on Surrealism and twentieth-century artists’ books.

Marcin Szala DEPUTY HEAD MA Physics and Philosophy, University of Oxford

Marcin Szala attended Clifton College as a United World Colleges Scholar.

He went on to study Physics and Philosophy at University of Oxford, where he was President of the Polish Society and actively involved in student drama.

On returning to Poland, he was appointed Deputy Headmaster of the Albert Schweitzer School in Gliwice. Later, as one of the directors of Collegium Wratislaviense, he worked as an educational trainer for teachers and academics; he has also served as board member of a number of educational charities in Poland. Alongside this, Marcin has taught critical thinking in an IB school.

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KNOWLEDGE

Ewa Milewska SCHOOL BURSAR AND AKADEMEIA GROUP CFO Warsaw School of Economics, ACCA certificate

Ewa joined Akademeia in 2017 and is responsible for all of the financial aspects of the Group’s operations. She brings broad consulting experience to Akademeia, gained during her 12-year career at PwC, where she was a director specialising in due diligence and other M&A related services. Her experience includes leading due diligence teams on landmark transactions in the CEE region (TVN, LuxMed, Euromedic / Affidea, EmiTel, AliorBank), as well as projects in the educational sector. Ewa holds a master’s degree in Quantitative Methods and Information Systems from the Warsaw School of Economics, as well as ACCA certificate.

Andrzej Dethloff FOUNDER OF THE AKADEMEIA EDUCATIONAL GROUP Law, University of Oxford

A United World Colleges Scholar and graduate of English Law and German Law at Wadham College, Oxford, and Bonn University, Germany, Andy has worked at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law in London (BIICL) and the Center for Social and Legal Research at the University of Oxford. In 2003/2004 he served as President of the Oxford University Polish Society. He has extensive international experience in individual work with young people, dividing his time between London, Geneva, Hong Kong, and Warsaw.

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At Akademeia we take an adaptive viewpoint to explaining form and function in Biology, exploring processes through a critical lens to expose causation. The programme is rigorous and makes empirical demands for recent evidence. I also enjoy sharing with students my personal interest in advanced behavioural ecology and genetics, using primary literature to help them understand the most recent and exciting developments in the field.

Above all, we celebrate our ability to think our way around a challenge, be it explaining the paradox of directional selection or pondering the adaptive function of the bizarre Loop of Henle.

Dr Mark Baynes

BIOLOGY TEACHER

BSc (Hons.) Biology, University of East Anglia DPhil Evolutionary Biology, Wadham College, Oxford

Departments

Our school is modelled on a university format in terms of both structure and teaching philosophy. Our approach to education is reflected in the school’s interdisciplinary teaching programme, which shows our students numerous potential career pathways and enables them to make the best academic choices.

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At Akademeia we offer iGCSE and A Level streams in a variety of languages, as well as preparatory years for both these qualifications. The learning of modern languages at the school reflects the interdisciplinary ethos that underpins Akademeia’s approach to education as a whole, with lessons designed around cultural experience as much as linguistic practice.

Whilst the A Level course itself requires research into history, art, literature, and politics, this is supported by a full co-curricular programme (including excursions abroad and more specific language options), which encourages the development of skills to be applied across the curriculum.

Dr Keith Walmsley

FRENCH & RUSSIAN TEACHER

MA, University of Oxford MLitt, University of St Andrews

Creative & Performing Arts Department Project-based learning and the critical development of ideas are at the heart of the Creative & Performing Arts Department curricula. Students learn to develop their ideas conceptually through research and exploration of a wide range of media and techniques. Workshops and extended projects with leading art and design practitioners and educators strengthen our students’ artistic independence and introduce them to the latest developments in the field. Our curricula in Photography, Fine Art, and 3D Design prepare our students for the most prestigious art, architecture, and design programmes around the world.

Humanities & Languages Department The Humanities Department comprises courses in English Language, English Literature, History, History of Art, Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Polish Literature and Culture. Our students learn to understand historical and cultural events in context, equipping them to approach their studies from a richly interdisciplinary perspective.

The importance of discursive essay writing and critical analysis of texts and works of art is practiced across all Humanities subjects. Foreign Languages are offered at both iGCSE and A Level, including French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Russian.

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Through our carefully designed Chemistry curricula, Akademeia students have the opportunity to learn theory through investigation. This allows them to fine tune their practical skills whilst considering the chemical processes behind their experiments.

As a passionate chemist and teacher, I like to create an environment where curiosity is celebrated and nurtured, so that each student develops their own unique love for Chemistry.

Dr Mark Kelly

CHEMISTRY SENIOR TEACHER

BSc Chemistry, Heriot Watt University PhD Physical Chemistry, University of Bristol

Natural Sciences Department We aim to demonstrate the interconnected nature of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology to all students taking the Natural Sciences. In our well-appointed laboratories, students run their own experiments and learn how to describe them accurately in written reports under the tutelage of academics involved in active research covering a range of scientific interests.

Mathematics Department We want our students to perceive Maths as a useful tool in everyday problem solving, and not merely as a school subject. The study of Maths is therefore obligatory for all students in the early years of our programme. At A Level, students can pursue Maths and Further Maths. Additionally, our students can attend Robotics and Coding classes.

Social Sciences Department Students taking the Social Sciences will study a range of subjects, including Economics, Politics, Sociology, Anthropology, and Psychology. Emphasis is placed upon essay writing, which trains students to think logically and make connections between their different subjects.

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AHS students and teachers have three well-equipped lab rooms at their disposal. During Physics, Chemistry, and Biology laboratory sessions, not only do students perform experiments, but also they learn how to interpret and present data. Experiments conducted during Biology lab classes include, for instance, the industrial method for immobilisation of lactase, and testing the influence of caffeine on invertebrate heart rate.

Dr Jakub Mikoszewski BIOLOGY SENIOR TEACHER

PhD Biology, University of Warsaw

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A mentor is a friendly adult who listens to the student and skilfully asks them appropriate questions so that the student can better understand their own aspirations, needs, and dreams. A mentor inspires the student but also challenges them, nourishing and accompanying their development. It is impossible to flourish academically without knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses, so the mentor’s role is to help students make the best use of their skills.

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Dr Marta Dzoga MENTOR

PhD Social Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences

Personal Development

mentors support

Mentoring

Measuring a student’s abilities using our tailored methodology continues throughout a student’s career at Akademeia High School. We consistently respond to our students’ growing educational needs, ensuring they maximise their potential through wise iGCSE and A Level subject choices, and through ambitious and appropriate university applications.

At Akademeia High School each student is accompanied on his or her educational journey by a mentor. Our mentors support their students’ learning, inspire and guide their individual pursuits, and advise on their academic choices, both at subject level for iGCSE and A Level, and throughout the university application process. Mentors lead their students to ask and answer vital questions about themselves, helping them to make informed, life-shaping decisions. This process is naturally conducted in close association with a student’s parents, to ensure a constructive and fruitful dialogue that will create the framework to help each student flourish.

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History keeps changing as the past is continually reinterpreted and used to justify everything from popular attitudes to government policy.

This is why our students focus on developing skills in textual interpretation, source evaluation, and most importantly, the critical analysis of evidence and arguments. It is precisely these skills which will allow our students to see through the ways in which the historical past is used and abused today, avoid being manipulated, and select reliable sources of information in their daily lives.

This approach to History is a source of satisfaction for me and for our students, who enjoy engaging in historical debates and developing their own independent interpretations.

, Jan Ladzinski

HISTORY TEACHER

BA History, The London School of Economics and Political Science Master of Research (MRes) East European Studies, UCL

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Student Community

A vital aspect of a successful school is its student body. Academic ability and motivation are important, and also significant is a diversity of talents and interests. We attract both science students who wish to focus on understanding the world, as well as those interested in social issues who want to change the world. A significant proportion of our students are pursuing their passion in the arts - both visual and performative. We have students who live in Warsaw and those who are from further afield. At least a quarter of our students qualify for scholarships that enable those from diverse backgrounds to study at the school.

Our students meet and work together through various school activities that are often cross-year in scope. They inspire one another and help one another see the world from differing perspectives. Because Akademeia High School has a maximum capacity of about 300, our students get to know the faculty and one other well, and they find others in their cohort with whom they can realize various projects and plans.

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Julia is a Year 13 student and a great enthusiast of the theatre.

She has taught acting to younger students at our high school and directed faculty members in a Christmas radio play to raise money for charity. She participated in numerous theatre festivals and drama courses across Poland, France, Germany, Russia, and Great Britain, including LAMDA Summer Academy and West End Academy.

Julia worked as an assistant to the set and costume designers at the Polish National Opera. According to Julia, the activity that shaped her the most

Julia

was participating in Here I Stand, a theatre project for young people from Germany, Poland, and Russia organized to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Through extensive research and interviews, Julia and her fellow students investigated political activism and sought to enact it through improvisation on the stages of Berlin and Warsaw.

Tomek is a Year 13 student, young scientist, and winner of the 2015 Adamed SmartUp competition. As a scholarship student of the Polish Children Fund, he participated in scientific workshops at different research centres. During one such workshop he worked in a lab developing and exploring nanostructural substances, researching oxidation reactions catalysed by hypervalent iodine (III) salts, and synthesizing some metal-organic frameworks.

Tomek was 13 when he conducted his very first research project on the structures of cellulose and starch in paper. He is also involved with our charity

Tomasz

programme: together with other students, he raised funds to support a cultural trip to Krakow for less-advantaged Warsaw children.

Agata is an aspiring songwriter with broad interests in music, design, art, and literature. She leads the band Æra, which she created in 2017. After winning the SOFA 2017 contest, she is working on the band’s debut EP as well as her own solo material, mixing classical and rock genres. She was trained as a classical violinist at the Primary Music School of Stanisław Moniuszko in Warsaw and then attended Wojciech Gerson School of Arts in Warsaw before winning the Art & Design Scholarship at Akademeia High School. At Akademeia, Agata designed her own guitar during 3D Design at

Agata

A Level, further developing her fine arts skills while combining her interests in music and design.

Agata’s desire to expand her understanding of contemporary issues led her to take part in the Erasmus+ meeting in Italy, a gathering focused on youth participation in democracy in the Euro-Med region. She plans to pursue a contemporary music career on the international level, both as a professional songwriter and performer.

Krystian is a Year 13 student interested in studying social change and passionate about politics and international relations. His particular areas of interest include British politics and the postcolonial history of the African continent.

In both politics and history, Krystian especially enjoys working with primary sources. He worked on a digitalisation project for the Ringelblum Archive at the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw. This experience inspired his interest in the fragility of history and showed him the urgency of preserving

Krystian

marginalised voices in history. He also worked as a volunteer for an NGO providing extracurricular classes and workshops to underprivileged children living in Warsaw.

Beyond his academic pursuits, Krystian immensely enjoys drama and has been a regular contributor to school performances and events.

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Akademeia High School

Małgosia is a Year 13 student and a great admirer of mathematics, one who loves to work with abstraction. She is also a Laureate of the National Mathematical Olympiad for Juniors.

Małgosia pursused her very first mathematical research on the problem of nontransitive dice. She presented her results in a short lecture at the finals of the Students’ Mathematical Thesis Competition at the University of Warsaw.

She qualified for and participated in the highly selective Canada/USA Mathcamp. During that camp, Małgosia conducted her own project focused

Małgorzata

on understanding and implementing Turing’s method of decrypting Vigenere.

She also qualified for Maths Beyond Limits, a multinational two-week camp held in Poland.

Jan is a Year 13 student aiming to be an architect. He pursued an internship with award-winning architectural studio Medusagroup. His team task was to redesign a residential district in Poznan, one of the largest cities in Poland.

He also attended STORE Summer Schools in Warsaw over the last two years, where he worked in a team of international students under the supervision of Bartlett School of Architecture tutors. Together they created structures that integrated with and opened the residential area of Finnish wooden houses to other city dwellers and visitors. He also participated in the Bartlett Summer

Jan

School, where he learnt what process really means.

Maya is a Pole of Vietnamese descent and a native Varsovian.

For her A Levels she is taking Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry, and Biology.

Recently she has developed an interest in genetics, and in the future she plans to do a biochemistry-related major. As a result, her extracurricular activities include bio-research and chemistry along with debate club. In her previous school, Maya was an active member of the school council. She has been recently chosen to be the captain of Iris House at Akademeia.

Maya enjoys travelling and watching good movies. She also loves basketball;

Maya

she played for her former school’s team, and she can’t wait for a girls’ team to be formed at Akademeia.

Barbara is preparing to study Architecture at university by taking Fine Arts, 3D Design, Maths, and Physics at Akademeia High School. Barbara won the Art & Design Scholarship Competition at Akademeia and received a voucher for summer school at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London. After completing the course, she attended the STORE Summer School in Warsaw where she worked as part of a team in designing and producing a set of chairs and tables to be used by the Jazdów community.

Since entering Akademeia High School, Barbara has made her first

Barbara

animation and designed an exhibition for the Art Department students.

In middle school in her hometown of Wołów, she took part successfully in many competitions, including the 46th International Children’s Art Exhibition 2016 in Japan, and the XVI Lower Silesian Maths Competition, called “zDolny Ślązak Gimnazjalista”. In order to develop her artistic skills further, she moved to Wrocław to join the Adam Mickiewicz Liceum Ogólnokształcące No. III, a high school with an architectural specialisation.

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social awareness

Akademeia Co-curricular Activities

At Akademeia, we strive to cultivate a keen social awareness in all our students. To this end, our Enrichment Programme offers a diverse range of activities in which students can participate. These include lectures delivered by renowned academics, outdoor art workshops, long term participation in start-up projects run by established business leaders, excursions to sites of cultural significance, internships, and voluntary service.

These activities help our students develop a lasting interest in the world around them, and present them with practical life situations to which they can apply their growing knowledge. They also learn and practice teamwork, communication skills, and other soft skill prerequisites for success in the 21st century.

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Creative Programme Akademeia places great stress on the creative arts: our students benefit from the presence and expertise of a range of designers and artists. Students attend weekly museum trips to exhibitions in and around Warsaw, with annual trips to larger centres of culture such as London or Florence. In addition, students participate in practical creative workshops with visiting artists from some of Europe’s top institutions, such as the Bartlett School of Architecture.

Sports Programme Sport is a vital ingredient of the educational process at Akademeia High School.

We believe sport contributes to shaping the character as well as the body - and is especially important to developing teamwork and endurance. Every student is required to participate in one team sport, in addition to having the opportunity to practice individual sports.

Critical Thinking Programme Our unique critical thinking programme develops students’ analytical abilities and teaches them to apply these skills in written form, as well as in debate. Students gain knowledge, learning how to analyse and use data to write logical and well-crafted essays. These skills transfer to the students’ broader learning at Akademeia, and stand them in excellent stead at university.

American Programme Although Akademeia follows the British school system of iGCSEs and A Levels, those students hoping to study in the United States prepare for SAT and ACT exams under the guidance of American examinations experts and members of staff who have themselves studied in America.

Enrichment Programme and Voluntary Service Students have the opportunity to devise their own charity projects, thereby enhancing their social awareness and empathy. Akademeia High School Foundation supports such student-run initiatives, be it anything from Christmas package drives for disadvantaged families, to field trips with children from economically disadvantaged areas of Warsaw.

Entrepreneurship Programme Entrepreneurship is fundamentally a mindset. Through our bespoke Entrepreneurship Programme our students can practise various skills and learn how to define and analyse problems and find solutions. Mirroring tools used in business schools, participants work on projects using case studies methodology.

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Voluntary work teaches our students how to be proactive and responsible both for themselves and others. Our students will be prepared to become leaders capable of seeing the world from different perspectives and working through the layers of complex problems.

We teach our students to be responsible for themselves and the people they might employ in the future, as well as for their families. We want our students to be informed and responsible citizens of the world.

, Maryna Czaplinska Akademeia High School Foundation

Akademeia Co-curricular Courses

Akademeia students can also pursue one or more co-curricular courses. These range from Philosophy, Law, and Psychology, through Debate, Coding, and Scientific Research Methods, to Music, Drama, and Creative Writing. The list is constantly growing, reflecting the diverse interests of our students and the expertise of our faculty. Courses are often run at different levels, allowing students to try new things or further practice existing skills.

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‘‘

As with any form of human expression, Music is prone to analysis from a cultural and sociological perspective examining its wider implications.

Moreover, due to its temporal nature and close ties with the natural sciences and mathematics in fields such as harmony and acoustics, Music is a unique interdisciplinary discipline, the study of which can deepen our understanding of a variety of issues in fields seemingly unrelated to Music itself.

Aleksandra Wittchen

MUSIC TEACHER

BA (Hons.), Music, University of Cambridge (Trinity College) Vocal and Acting Studies, Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw

Our Building

opportunities

SPACE

Facilities

Akademeia High School is a space that creates opportunities. We worked with award-winning Medusa Group architects to design the building, its interiors, and its equipment to fit in with our educational philosophy of dialogue, interdisciplinarity, and creativity.

Our students enjoy the most modern school building in Poland, equipped with themed laboratories, a sports hall, and numerous rooms for individual and group work. Classrooms feature innovative Harkness Tables, where students actively partake in discussions with their teacher and colleagues around a table; this is key to realising our core teaching philosophy of dialogue.

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LABS

Professional facilities for academic study Modern, well-equipped Biology, Chemistry, and Physics labs Spacious classrooms with a maximum capacity of 12 people Oval Harkness tables

Rooms designated for art and creative activities A 100m2 art studio adapted for classes in painting, printmaking, and sculpture A music room A darkroom An auditorium with a theatre stage

SPORTS HALL

Modern sports hall adaptable to a variety of sports A wide range of equipment Inspiring spaces for individual study and relaxation CafĂŠ School canteen serving freshly prepared, nutritious meals daily A roof garden with over 1000m2 of greenery Courtyard

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Prizes and Awards WORLDWIDE RECOGNITION

The Architectural Prize of the Mayor of Warsaw 2017 in the category Best Public Service Building

Nomination for the EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture - Mies van der Rohe Award 2019

Showcase at La Biennale di Venezia 2018

Laureate of the 7th annual Architecture Competition organised by POLITYKA weekly 74 75

PRIZES AND AWARDS

Prizes and Awards WORLDWIDE RECOGNITION

Main prize in the Property Design 2018 competition in the Design - Interior category

PLGBC Green Building Award 2017 for the best green building without a certificate (or pre-certified)

Distinction in the Educational Building Category of the SARP Award for the best building constructed in Poland in 2017

Invitation to showcase the building at the conference BUILDING EDUCATION BUCHAREST INTERNATIONAL FORUM 2018 76 77

Akademeia High School

‘‘

Philosophy is an exercise in both free thought and logic, a discipline that calls for imagining the most incredible and abstract scenarios while submitting to the rigor of clear reasoning.

Studying philosophical writings and engaging in philosophical discussions greatly broadens student horizons, inspiring the ability to see the world from many perspectives - not just for what it is, but also for what it could be.

Dr Magdalena Szalewicz

PHILOSOPHY TEACHER

MA Philosophy, University of Warsaw PhD Philosophy, Polish Academy of Sciences

Admissions

Entry points Most students will join us for the Four-Year Programme, which involves both iGCSE level and A Levels (Years 10 - 13).

Students may also join the school

in Year 9

(Foundation Year), for a preparatory programme before they start iGCSE

in Year 11

for the Three-Year Programme, involving pre-A Level and A Levels

in Year 12

for the Two-Year Programme, involving only A Levels

As an academically selective school it is important to ensure the right fit between student and school. This is why students take part in the Academic Potential Assessment as part of recruitment.

During the Academic Potential Assessment candidates will be asked to:

1.

attend university-style lectures in English supplemented with tests to check their ability to learn and understand abstract content, think analytically, compare data, and draw conclusions.

2.

sit an English language competence test.

3.

have individual meetings with subject teachers where we check not only a student’s knowledge, but also, more importantly, their predisposition for a given subject.

4.

5.

take part in group tasks, wherein we check soft skills and social abilities. sit a Mathematics test.

The assessment process lasts for two days and is conducted over the course of a single weekend. At its conclusion, the student and parents receive a full report that is discussed at an individual meeting with admissions staff.

Decisions regarding admissions are based on the final report.

Akademeia High School supports capable young scholars and aims to support around 25% of the student body with scholarships (subject to a separate admissions procedure announced each year on our website).

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‘‘

In the study of Polish language, we include the most important works both from Polish and world literature. Through analysis of historical literary works, we try to find a key to understanding the present. It is most important to me that our students learn to think independently and are able to assess critically what they read.

Stefan Głowacki POLISH TEACHER

Polish Studies, University of Warsaw

Akademeia Educational Group

building upon experience

AKADEMEIA TUTORIAL COLLEGE

AKADEMEIA HIGH SCHOOL

AEG AKADEMEIA FOUNDATION

AKADEMEIA CONSULTING

AKADEMEIA HIGH SCHOOL FOUNDATION

Akademeia High School is part of Akademeia Educational Group (AEG), which is able to draw upon over 10 years of experience in educational consultancy and tutoring held by AEG’s Founder and a select team of highly qualified teachers.

These services have been offered by AEG through Akademeia Consulting and Akademeia Tutorial College, both of which focus on tailored academic solutions for each student.

Akademeia Consulting Under the auspices of Akademeia Consulting, we offer tutorial services to students who attend other schools. Based on a broad diagnostics framework, we evaluate the academic ability and predisposition of each student and develop an individual educational strategy for them, including extracurricular activities such as voluntary service or apprenticeship. We also help them prepare for and apply to universities of their choice.

Akademeia Tutorial College Akademeia Tutorial College is ideal for those with exceptional intellectual abilities or special educational needs, which require a one-on-one educational format. Within the Akademeia Tutorial College framework, students pursue an individualised course of British A Levels, taught one-on-one and partly based on the Oxford tutorial system. Additionally, every student receives the care of a mentor, who oversees their educational progress, identifies any potential difficulties, and determines optimal solutions. From the very beginning, the mentor advises the student on the selection of subjects, internships, and apprenticeships.

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In the past 10 years, Akademeia Consulting and Akademeia Tutorial College alumni have had great academic success. Not only have they studied their preferred courses at their dream universities, but also many of them have received diplomas with distinction.

Here are the achievements of Akademeia Consulting and Akademeia Tutorial College students applying for British universities in 2007 - 2015*

PL ACES OFFERED IN 2007 - 2015*

.

ORD CAMBRID OXF GE LSE . I MP ER IA L

O

TH ER

.

RD CAMBR ID FO X GE O

.

RIAL LSE .

PE . IM

RE

UC

L

B AT H . T. A N D S

W

S .

.

4%

WA RW

R ICK . D U

HA

M

*Places offered within 2007/2008 - 2015/2016 school years

30% 38% 96%

PL ACES OFFERED IN 2016 - 2017*

.

OXFORD CAMB RID GE

OT HE

R

D OR XF

. CAMBRIDG E.

IM L RIA PE

O

3%

LSE . I MP ER IA L

41% 43%

. LSE .

.

UC

L

T. B AT H . S D

AM

AN

RE

W

S. . DU WA R W I C K

RH

97%

*Places offered within 2016/2017 - 2017/2018 school years

15% of AEG students have decided to study at the following prestigious US universities: Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Columbia, UPenn, Brown, and NYU. Nearly 10% of AEG students have chosen to study the Arts at specialist institutions including: Berklee College of Music, Pratt Institute, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Design Academy Eindhoven, and The Bartlett School of Architecture.

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SUPPORT

Since the beginning, AEG and our Founder have supported talented young students in their pursuit of a dream education.

We do so through two foundations:

Akademeia Foundation Akademeia Foundation supports exceptional students on their pathway to studying at top foreign academies.

Akademeia High School Foundation This foundation supports the very best students by funding their Akademeia High School studies wholly or in part, as well as by financing student charity initiatives whose focus is helping young people engage in socially beneficial activities.

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Akademeia Educational Group Academic partner of Adamed SmartUp since 2014

Contact us LedĂłchowskiej 2 02-972 Warsaw + 48 22 299 87 87

www.akademeia.edu.pl office@akademeia.edu.pl

Admissions Maria GĹ‚owacka + 48 22 299 87 80 admissions@akademeia.edu.pl

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www.akademeia.edu.pl office@akademeia.edu.pl